54 dead as heatwave bakes parts of India, duststorm likely in Delhi today

NEW DELHI, MAY 31 : At least 54 people were killed as severe heatwave conditions continued unabated in central, eastern and northern India with several places, including Delhi, recording maximum temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius. A duststorm is predicted over Uttar Pradesh between May 31 and June 1, and in Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi on May 31.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), very light/light rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning was predicted over the plains of Northwest India between May 31 and June 2.

On Thursday, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 45.6 degrees Celsius, 5.2 notches above normal. This came a day after the national capital recorded a 79-year high of 46.8 degrees Celsius, according to IMD data.

In Bihar, 32 people died from heatstroke, of which 17 were in Aurangabad, six in Arrah, three each in Gaya and Rohtas, two in Buxar and one in Patna. In Odisha, 10 people died in Rourkela. Five people died each in Jharkhand’s Palamu and Rajasthan, while one died in Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur.

Earlier, a 40-year-old man, who belonged to Bihar’s Darbhanga, died of heatstroke in Delhi. He died due to multiple organ failure after his body temperature rose to 108 degrees Fahrenheit, almost 10 degrees above normal.

On Thursday, maximum temperatures were in the range of 45-48 degrees Celsius in many parts of Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, isolated pockets over Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, East Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha, the IMD said.

Maximum temperatures in the range of 42-45 degrees Celsius were seen in many parts of West Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, in isolated pockets over Gujarat, Telangana and Rayalaseema. These were above normal by 3-6 degrees Celsius over many parts of Northwest India and in isolated parts of Central and East India.

According to the IMD, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions were predicted in isolated pockets of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha on May 31 and June 1.

Heatwave conditions were very likely in isolated pockets of Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Uttarakhand on May 31. Hot and humid weather conditions were predicted over isolated pockets of Konkan and Goa on May 31 and June 1, and Gangetic West Bengal on May 31.

Warm nights were predicted in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Bihar and Odisha on May 31 and June 1 and Uttar Pradesh on May 31.

MONSOON TO ADVANCE INTO MORE SOUTHERN STATES, NORTHEAST

The IMD said conditions were favourable for further advance of the Southwest Monsoon into some more parts of Lakshadweep and Kerala, some parts of Karnataka, some more parts of Tamil Nadu, remaining parts of Assam and Meghalaya, and some parts of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim during the next two to three days.

A western disturbance was seen as a cyclonic circulation over Jammu and under its influence, isolated to scattered light rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning was very likely over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand from May 31 to June 2.

On Thursday, the Southwest Monsoon set in over Kerala, a day before its scheduled onset, and advanced into most parts of Northeast India, the IMD said. Earlier on May 15, the weather office had announced the onset of monsoon over Kerala by May 31.